Judy Guenseth: Laughter may actually be best medicine

Friday

May 11, 2018 at 7:01 AMMay 11, 2018 at 6:21 PM

Our first laughter probably occurred due to the goofy expressions our parents gave us as infants. Early memories of giggling may include peek-a-boo moments and then knock-knock jokes. As our funny bones grew and matured, irony and double entendre expanded our humor potential.

The things that make us laugh can be as different as our personalities, but without a doubt laughter is a sought after enjoyment. We watch comedians, read the comic pages, tell jokes and even laugh at ourselves. Charlie Chaplin said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

Most laughter occurs in response to something funny, but defining funny is a tricky process. E. B. White once wrote, “Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the purely scientific mind.” It’s a good thing that understanding the biochemical laughter processes is not a prerequisite for a good belly laugh.

Humor is relayed in lots of ways including slapstick, parody, spoof, satire and farce among others. Timing also plays a big role in how funny is perceived. Much of this is based on life experiences and personal preferences. To point, science professionals and those who paid attention in chemistry class usually understand that when old chemists die, their colleagues bury them or barium as the case may be. Those that don’t get it, can always Google it but humor explained also loses some of its impact.

There are those times when you roll with laughter about anything and everything with group companions. Usually those moments are unplanned but long remembered for the sense of wellbeing afterwards. In those instances, the laughter provided a mental escape. Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is an instant vacation.” And he was right.

Then there are those times when two companions disagree maybe even not speaking to each other. Many of us have been there and in a split second, a humorous situation occurs and laughter breaks the ice tearing down the wall of discord and as St. Francis de Sales said, “Laughter is the foundation of reconciliation.” Many times, humor has even dissolved the reason of the silence in the first place.

Most of us enjoy a person with a sense of humor and have long understood that sharing a funny situation can also increase bonding of those in company. Piano comedian Victor Borge said, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” John Cleese reinforced this truism with, “Laughter connects you with people. It's almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you're just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy.”

According the Heart MD Institute, the physical act of laughing causes contracting in our chest cavity muscles where tension builds due to stress. Releasing this tension aids in healing and also releases positive endorphins. This is especially beneficial for heart health. One study completed at Indiana State School of Nursing indicated that laughter may increase white blood cells which attack cancer cells. Anecdotally, there are stories of people diagnosed with diseases who have purposely exposed themselves to comedy and have overcome their sickness in the process. Laughter may indeed be the best medicine.

Years ago after losing an infant son, my minister visited me. It was a sad occasion but somehow discussion trailed to a few of his childhood antics. We all got to laughing and although the pain of the situation was still very real, the laughter numbed the hurt for a few moments. Humor in that instance was better than any pill I could have taken. As Arnold H. Glasow said, “Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.”

There are also those unpredictable, turn your face beet red episodes in which there is no exit option. Then someone comes along side you, helps you in whatever mess you have and tells you about their own embarrassing episode and you both laugh at the silly nature of life. In that moment, the laughter reduced the sting of your dented pride.

Certainly, there are occasions when laughter and humor are best left off the menu. We become familiar with those boundaries, but not without a few awkward glances in the learning process in which a comment made in jest floated in the air like a 10-pound weight. Maybe even in those moments, we learn to forgive our short comings and laugh at ourselves, but at a later, more appropriate time.

Research studies may tell us why, but our own experience makes it obvious laughter feeds our souls, improves our outlook and it is just plain fun. I leave you with one more quote by Jean Huston, “At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.”

Judy Johnson Guenseth is a longtime resident of Galesburg, where she works in the public sector.

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